The present invention relates to a disk device comprising a conveying unit for conveying a disk inserted into the chassis from a disk insertion aperture to a playing unit, conveying the disk which has been conveyed by the conveying unit from the playing unit to the disk insertion aperture and expelling the disk to the outside of the chassis.
Firstly a disk device mounted in an automobile will be outlined. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a disk device for use in an automobile. In FIG. 1, 1 is a disk device, 2 is a chassis disposed in the interior of the automobile, 3 is a playing unit for rotating the disk D and reading information recorded on the disk D, 4 is a conveying unit which conveys a disk D inserted into the inner part of the chassis from the disk insertion aperture formed in the chassis to the playing unit 3, which then conveys a disk D which has been once conveyed to the playing unit 3 from the playing unit 3 to the disk insertion aperture and which expels the disk to the outside of the chassis 2. 5 is a flexible member such as an oil damper which prevents the transmission of automobile vibrations to the playing unit when the disk D is being played. The flexible member is provided between the lower face of the chassis 2 and the playing unit 3.
In the playing unit 3, 11 is a playing unit base storing the motor which displaces the motor or pickup which rotates the turntable. 11a is a rotation shaft of a pressure arm and is provided in the playing unit base 11. 12 is a turntable on which the disk D is mounted and which rotates the disk D. The turntable 12 is provided in the playing unit base 11. 13 is a pressure arm which rotates in the direction a-b about the rotation shaft 11a provided in the playing unit base 11. 14 is a disk gripping body which grips the disk D on the turntable 12 by rotating the pressure arm 13 towards the turntable side 12. The disk gripping body 14 is mounted on the pressure arm 13. 15 is a pickup which reads the information recorded on the disk D and which is provided on the playing unit base 11.
In the conveying unit 4, 21 is a disk guiding section which is fixed onto the upper plate of the chassis, 22 is a conveying roller which grips, with the guiding section, a disk D which is inserted into the interior of the chassis 2 from the disk insertion aperture. The conveying roller 22 then conveys the disk D to the playing unit 3 by rotating it in that state, grips the disk D which has been conveyed to the playing unit 3 with the disk guiding section 21, conveys the disk D to the insertion aperture by rotating it in that state and expels the disk D outside the chassis 2.
In FIG. 1, the cam plate is not shown. However it will be briefly explained as follows. The cam plate displaces the conveying roller provided on the conveying unit and the pressure arm provided on the playing unit and fixes and releases the playing unit 3 by sliding displacement in the direction of disk insertion and disk expulsion.
Next the operation of the invention will be explained.
At Time of Disk Insertion
When a disk D is inserted into the interior of the chassis 2 from the disk insertion aperture, the disk D is tightly held by the disk guiding section 21 and the conveying roller 22. The disk D is conveyed to the playing unit by the rotations of the conveying roller 22. The disk D which has been conveyed to playing unit 3 is tightly held by the turntable 12 and the disk gripping body 14 due to the pressure arm rotating towards the turntable side 12 and so is mounted on the turntable 12. At this time the playing unit base 11 which had been fixed by the cam plate is released. The playing unit base 11 is supported by the flexible member 5, the information recorded in the disk D is read and in other words the disk D is placed in a playable state.
At Time of Disk Playing
When the disk is mounted on the turntable 12, is in a stationary position and the playing of the disk D commences, the disk D is rotated by the rotations of the turntable 12. The information contained in the disk D is read by the pickup 15. At this time, the vibrations of the automobile are absorbed by the flexible member 5 which prevents those vibrations from being transmitted to the playing unit 3.
At Time of Disk Expulsion
When the playing of the disk is finished, the disk D is held by the turntable 12 and the disk gripping body 14. When the disk D is in a stationary position and disk D expulsion commences, the pressure plate 13 rotates in the direction of separation from the turntable 12. As a result of these rotations, the disk D is lifted from the turntable 12 and held by the disk guiding section 21 and the conveying roller 22. The disk D is conveyed to the disk insertion aperture by the rotations of the conveying roller 22 and expelled to the outside of the chassis 2. At this time, the playing unit base 11 is fixed by the cam plate.
The disk device for use in an automobile has been explained in a simple way up until this point. Hereafter the constituent elements of the conventional disk device for use in an automobile will be explained in detail.
FIG. 2 is a figure showing the playing unit of a conventional disk device. FIG. 2 shows the playing unit as seen along the direction X of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows the initiation of disk insertion for a 12 cm disk. In FIG. 2, the 12 cm disk D is shown by the broken lines. FIG. 3 shows a disk stopper in a conventional disk device. FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view along the line Ixe2x80x94I of FIG. 2. In FIGS. 2 and 3, 141 is a playing unit for reading the information recorded on the disk D. 143 is a flexible member such as an oil damper which prevents the transmission of automobile vibrations to the playing unit while the disk D is being played. 144a-144c are first to third positional determination shafts provided in the playing unit 141.
151 is a playing unit base which stores the motor or the like which displaces the pickup or the motor which rotates the turntable. 151d is a rotation shaft of the pressure arm and is provided on the playing unit base 151. 154 is a pressure arm which rotates about the rotation shaft 151d provided in the playing unit base 151. 155 is a disk gripping body which tightly holds the disk D on the turntable by rotating the pressure arm 154 to the turntable side and is mounted on the pressure arm 154.
161 is a disk stopper which is pushed by the disk D inserted in the interior of the chassis and displaces in direction B (the direction of disk insertion). 162 is a lever stopper which moves together with the displacement of the disk stopper 161 and rotates. The lever stopper 162 is provided on the upper surface of the pressure arm 154. 163 is a slide lock which rotates together with the rotations of the lever stopper 162, and which, when the disk D is not inserted in to the interior of the chassis, determines the position of the disk stopper 161 and which, when it rotates together with the rotations of the lever stopper 162, slidingly displaces the operational lever, discussed below, in direction A (the direction of disk expulsion). The side lock 163 is provided on the lower surface of the pressure arm 154. 165 is a support member for mounting the gripping body 155 on the pressure arm 154. 166 is a first spring connected to the lever stopper 162 and the slide lock 163. 167 is a second spring connected to the pressure arm 154 and the slide lock 163.
In the disk stopper 161, 161a is an abutting section onto which the disk inserted in the interior of the chassis abuts. 161b is an engaging member which engages with the guide hole formed in the pressure arm 154. 161c is an engaging pin which engages in the engaging hole formed in the lever stopper 162.
In the lever stopper 162, 162a is a rotation shaft of the lever stopper 162. 162b is a connecting section to which the first spring 166 is connected. 162c is an engaging hole with which the engaging pin 161c which is provided in the disk stopper 161 engages. 162d is a regulating hole which supports the regulating pin provided in the slide lock 163. 162e is a first regulating section forming the regulating hole 162d. 162f is a second regulating section forming the regulating hole 162d. 
In the slide lock 163, 163a is a pressured section pressured by the front arm. 163b is a pressuring section which pressures the operational arm discussed hereafter. 163c is a regulating pin which is supported by the regulating hole 162d which is formed in the lever stopper 162. 163d is a connecting section which is connected to the first spring 166. 163e is a connecting section which is connected to the second spring 167. 163f is a slide hole which supports the rotation shaft 162a of the lever stopper 162.
In the pressure arm 154, 154a is a connecting section to which is connected the second spring 167. 154b is a guide hole which engages with the engaging section 161b provided on the disk stopper 162 and which pierces the guide hole 154b which guides the disk stopper 161 which is pressured by the disk D inserted into the interior of the chassis. The guide hole is formed along the conveying direction of the disk D in approximately the central section of the pressure arm 154. 154c is an engaging section insertion hole formed to engage the engaging section 161b provided on the disk stopper 161 with the guide hole 154b. 154d is a through hole formed to support the regulating pin 163c provided in the slide lock 163 with the regulating hole 162d formed in the lever stopper 162.
In the support member 165, 165a is a support section which supports the disk gripping body 155 while pressuring the upper center projection 155a of the disk gripping body 155. 165b is a covering section which covers the engaging section insertion hole 154c formed in the pressure arm 154.
In the conventional disk device, when the disk D is not inserted in the chassis interior, the position of the operational lever is fixed. As a result, the position of the slide lock 163 is determined. The position of the lever stopper 162 is determined due to the fact that the regulating pin 163c provided on the slide lock 163 is positioned on the first regulating section 162e which forms the regulating hole 162d which is formed in the lever stopper 162. Hence the position of the disk stopper 161 is determined. In the conventional disk device, when the disk D is not inserted in the interior of the chassis, the engaging section 161b provided in the disk stopper 161 is adapted so as not to abut with the support member 165.
FIG. 4 shows a conveying unit in a conventional disk device. FIG. 4 shows the conveying unit as seen from the direction Y in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 displays the situation when a 12 cm disk is being conveyed. In FIG. 4, the 12 cm disk is shown by the broken line. FIG. 5 shows the disk guiding section in a conventional disk device. FIG. 5 shows a disk guiding as seen from direction Z in FIG. 1. In FIGS. 4 and 5, 132 is a chassis disposed in the interior of an automobile and 133 is a disk insertion aperture formed in the front plate of the chassis 132.
171 is a disk guiding section fixed to the upper plate of the chassis 132. 173 is a conveying roller which conveys the disk D which has been inserted into the interior of the chassis 132 from the disk insertion aperture 133 to the playing unit by holding the disk against the disk guiding section 171 and rotating it in that state. It then holds the disk which has already been conveyed to the playing unit against the disk guiding section and rotates it in that state, conveys the disk to the disk insertion aperture 133 and expels the disk to the outside of the chassis 132. 174 is a conveying unit base.
In the disk guiding section 171, 171a is a protruding section which projects from the central section towards the periphery and approaches the conveying roller 173. The protruding section 171a is formed vertical to the direction in which the disk is being conveyed.
In the conveying roller 173, 173a is a shaft of the conveying roller 173 which is inserted into a round hole formed in the conveying unit base 74 so as to face the vertical direction to the direction in which the disk is conveyed. 173b is a rubber roller into which the shaft 173a of the conveying roller is loosely inserted and which increases in radius towards the end from the central section.
In this conventional disk device, when a disk D is conveyed, it is tightly held by the protruding section 171a formed on the disk guiding section 171 and the conveying roller 173.
FIG. 6 shows the camplate and related parts in the conventional disk device. FIG. 6(A) shows the camplate and related parts as seen from direction X in FIG. 1. FIG. 6(B) shows the cam plate and related parts as seen from direction P of FIG. 6(A). FIG. 6(C) is an enlarged view of the section Q encircled by the broken line in FIG. 6(B). FIG. 6 shows the disk in the early stages of being conveyed. FIG. 6 represents the right side plate of the chassis as being encircled by the wavy line b. In FIG. 6, 178 is a set of reduction gears which transmit the rotations of the motor to the conveying roller 173 in order to rotate the conveying roller and which is provided on the chassis 132.
181 is a camplate which slidingly displaces in the direction A-B and which, when it slidingly displaces in direction B, displaces the pressure arm in the direction in which the disk is not tightly held by the turntable and the disk gripping means. Then the cam plate displaces the conveying roller 173 in the direction in which the disk is held tightly by the disk guiding section and the conveying roller 173. When it slidingly displaces in direction A, it displaces the pressure arm in the direction in which the disk is held tightly by the turntable and the disk gripping body. The camplate displaces the conveying roller 173 in the direction in which the disk is not held tightly by the disk guiding section and the conveying roller 173. The camplate is provided between the right side plate of the chassis 132 and the playing unit. 182 is an operational lever which slidingly displaces in the direction A-B along the guide groove formed in the chassis 132. The camplate 181 is slidingly displaced in the direction A-B as a result of that displacement. The operational lever is provided on the camplate 181. 183 is a first linking member for securing the playing unit when the camplate 181 slidingly displaces and which is provided between the chassis 132 and the camplate 181. 184 is a fourth spring which connects the chassis 132 and the operational lever 182.
In the camplate 181, 181a is a slot which engages with a key shaped hook which is formed on the right side plate of the chassis 132 and which guides the camplate 181. 181b is a Z shaped hole which supports the displacement shaft 174c provided in the conveying unit base 174 and which guides the displacement shaft 174c together with the sliding displacement of the camplate 181. 181c is a horizontal hole which supports the first positional determination shaft 144a provided in the playing unit and guides the first positional determination shaft 144a together with the sliding displacement of the camplate 181. 181d is a horizontal groove which supports the second positional determination shaft 144b provided in the playing unit and which guides the second positional determination shaft 144b together with the sliding displacement of the camplate 181. 181e is a release hole which releases the support of the first positional determination shaft 144a due to the horizontal hole. 181f is a release groove which releases the support of the second positional determination shaft 144b due to the horizontal groove 181d. 181g is a rotation shaft of the first linking member 183 inserted into the round hole provided on the first linking member 183. 181h is an inclining section which abuts with the right side bent section 154e provided on the pressure arm 154 (refer to FIG. 2) and which slopes downwardly from direction A to direction B. 181i is an indented section formed on the top of the camplate 181. 181j is a through hole into which the reduction gears are arranged.
In the operational lever 182, 182a is a protruding section which is disposed in the indented section which is formed in the camplate 181 and which slidingly displaces the camplate 181 in the direction A-B together with the sliding displacement of the operational lever 182 by pushing the indenting section 181i. 182b is a rack which displaces the operational lever 182 by engaging with the gears of the reduction gears 178.
In the first linking member 183, 183a is a displacement shaft which is supported by the Z shaped hole formed in the right side plate of the chassis 132. 183b is a round hole into which the rotation shaft 181g of the first linking member 183 provided on the camplate 181 is inserted. 183c is a gripping member which grips the first positional determination shaft 144a which is provided in the playing unit when the camplate slidingly displaces in direction B.
In the right side plate of the chassis 132, 132d is a Z shaped hole which supports the displacement shaft 183a provided in the first linking member 183 and which guides the displacement shaft 183a together with the sliding displacement of the camplate 181. 188 is a first abutting section with which the indented section 181i formed in the camplate 181 and the protruding section 182a formed in the operational lever 182 abut when the operational lever 182 slidingly displaces in direction A. 189 is a second abutting section with which the indented section 181i formed in the camplate 181 and the protruding section 182a formed in the operational lever 182 abut when the operational lever 182 slidingly displaces in direction B.
In this disk device, the pressure arm rises and the disk is lifted from the turntable due to the fact that the bent section 154e on the right side face, which is provided on the pressure arm 154 rises along the inclined section 181h provided on the camplate 181, rises when the camplate 181 slidingly displaces in direction B. On the other hand, the pressure arm 154 lowers and the disk is mounted on the turntable due to the fact that bent section 154 on the right side lowers along the inclination of the inclined section 181h when the cam plate 181 slidingly displaces in direction A.
In this conventional disk device, when a disk is inserted, the operational lever 182 displaces in direction A and the rack 182b which is formed on the operational lever 182 engages with the gears of the reduction gears 178. Due to the motive force of the reduction gears, the operational lever 182 is slidingly displaced in direction A. The protruding section 182a formed on the operational lever 182 abuts with the indented section 181i formed on the camplate 181 in the first abutting section 187 and pressures the indented section 181i. As a result, the camplate 181 slidingly displaces in direction A together with the sliding displacement of the operational lever 182.
Furthermore in this conventional disk device, when the disk is expelled, the reduction gears 178 rotate in the inverse direction and the operational lever 182 slidingly displaces in direction B. The protruding section 182a formed on the operational lever 182 abuts with the indented section 181i formed on the camshaft 181 in the second abutting section 188 and pressures the indented section 181i. As a result, the camplate 181 slidingly displaces in direction B together with the sliding displacement of the operational lever 182. Due to the motive force of the reduction gears 178, the operational lever 182 slidingly displaces in direction B. The rack 182b formed on the operational lever 182 disengages from the reduction gears 178. Hence after the rack 182b formed on the operational lever 182 disengages from the reduction gears 178, the operational lever 182 is returned to its original position due to being pulled by the force of the fourth spring 184 in direction B. At this time, the protruding section 182a formed on the operational lever 182 pressures the indented section 181i formed on the camplate 181 and the camplate 181 too is returned to the original position.
FIG. 7 shows the playing unit base in a conventional disk device. FIG. 7(A) shows the playing unit base as seen from direction X in FIG. 1. FIG. 7(B) shows the playing unit base as seen from direction P in FIG. 7(A). FIG. 7 shows a 12 cm disk being raised from the turntable. In FIG. 7, the 12 cm disk is shown by the broken line. In FIG. 7, 151a is an inner lateral face which is a face opposite the disk insertion side of the playing unit base 151. 152 is a turntable on which a disk is disposed, which rotates the disk and which is provided on the playing unit base 151.
Since the conventional disk device is constructed as above, when the disk is conveyed, the disk is tightly held by the conveying roller and the protruding section formed on the disk guiding section. As a result, when the disk is conveyed, a large force is acting on the disk in the direction opposite to that in which the disk is being conveyed. Hence the problem arises that insertion or expulsion of disks becomes impossible.
The present invention is proposed to solve the above problems. It has the object of providing a disk device which can prevent the inconvenience of the insertion or expulsion of disks becoming impossible due to a large force acting on the disk in the direction opposite to that in which the disk is being conveyed when the disk is being conveyed.
The disk device of the present invention comprises a conveying unit which is provided with a supplementary roller provided with a rotation shaft and a rotation section. The rotation shaft is mounted on the disk guiding section so as to vertically face the direction in which the disk is being conveyed. The outer face of the rotation section is disposed on the end of the disk guiding section so as to be positioned on the conveying roller side by the protruding section formed on the disk guiding section.
In this way, when a disk is conveyed, since the force acting in the opposite direction to that in which the disk is being conveyed is reduced, it is possible to convey the disk smoothly and ensure the insertion and expulsion of disks. The disk device of the present invention has a disk guiding section which is provided with a blade spring section which pressures the rotation shaft of the supplementary roller in the axial direction.
In this way, the supplementary roller does not wobble and the generation of unwanted sounds can be prevented.
The disk device of the present invention has a supplementary roller which is disposed so that it approaches the conveying roller as the outer face of the rotation section goes from the center to the end.
In this way, when a disk is conveyed, damage to the information recorded on the disk surface is prevented as only the outer peripheral edge of the disk contacts with the supplementary roller.